Signalmen
at Work in
Europe:
Truck Driving and Communication Line Construction

The only pictures I've found of
Felix
are in training in the United States, occupation duty in Germany, and
on
leave in Switzerland. I've not found any photos with him in the
campaigns in which he served.

From Felix's military
record: "TRUCK DRIVER: Served in the
ETO
(European Theater of Operations) as a
truck driver in the Signal Corps. Hauled military personnel, gasoline,
ammunitions, and supplies over all types of roads under all weather
conditions. Did both night and day driving. Made minor repairs and
performed routine maintenance on trucks. Also did communication line
construction work concurrently with above."

His Military Occupational Specialty was 667, message center clerk.

These links to sites of
about World War 2 Signal units given an idea of what Dad might have
seen and experienced.

None of
these photos or drawing are of Felix, the 3253d Signal Service
Company, or the 45th Signal Company. They are of
other units performing duties most from about the same
time as and near the same places where Felix served.

While
Felix was not the model for this poster, the poster
portrays how seriously Signalmen were viewed by the Army.

The Battle of Kasserine Pass,
Tunisia, 1943. While Felix was not in this battle, this Jeep ad
illustrates how close to combat Signalmen worked to construct
communication lines.

Truck Driving and Communication Line
Construction

May,
1943: Trucks in
training. While Felix was not deployed to England until
February, 1944, this illustrates a scene he may have experienced.

Signal truck hit
by German fire: This
is a Dodge WC54 truck 3d Signal Company
, Anzio, Italy, May, 1944, taken
while Felix was in England It illustrates the danger in which Signal
men and their vehicles worked and how close they were to combat.

The
best siteI have found
illustrating Signalmen driving trucks and
constructing communications lines at the same time and in the same
areas were Felix served.

From the special edition of the "Army
Communicator On-line: Voice of the Signal Regiment," on the Signal
Corps
in World War

"In the
theaters of operations, massive supply bases everywhere backed up the
combat fronts — in England and North Africa, in Hawaii and the islands
of the far Pacific. Theater signal officers enjoyed direct control over
their own supply, giving them an advantage in providing the combat
forces fast, responsive signal support that was the envy of our allies."
From Overview: the Signal Corps in World War II
by George Raynor Thompson